


The Kids Are Alright

by The_Magic_Lava_Lamp



Series: The Kids Are Alright [1]
Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-07-14 22:29:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16049861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Magic_Lava_Lamp/pseuds/The_Magic_Lava_Lamp
Summary: A That 70’s Show AU thing for The Losers Club. So it’ll be them in high school doing dumb stuff in the 70′s basically.It’ll be a series of One Shots, under the series - The Kids Are Alright - which is also the title.The One Shots won’t all directly pick up from where the last left off either. Like the episodes of a TV show.The first One Shot in the series. The Pilot, if you will. The Losers club in the 70′s, what could go wrong??





	1. One Of These Nights

“Now’s your chance…” 

“Why don’t you do it?” Stan bounced his leg up and down and shifted on the cheap chair. 

“Because it’s your h-house.” Bill gestured. “The p-pa-party has reached critical mass, pretty soon there will be no more beer opportunities.” He had a way about him that made Stan just want to listen to him. 

“My parents won’t be happy if they catch me copping beers.” Stan rubbed under his chin, feeling a little slick with nervous sweat. 

“Then don’t get caught.” Beverly said simply over her shoulder as she stepped on a stool and over the back of the couch to get to the chair on it’s left. 

“I don’t think it’s that easy.” Stan sighed. 

“Sure it is. Just gotta be slick.” Richie put down his comic before his eyes went wide. “Ooh like a spy!” He snapped with excitement and hopped onto the couch cushion next to Bill. 

The floor scoffed under Mike’s shoes as he leaned further and further into the freezer to try and get to the Popsicle box. Eventually, his feet lifted from the ground. “Are you sure there’s a box left?” He called from his spot, hanging inside the cold. 

“Yeah, it’s under the frozen corn, I’m sure.” Richie called back, licking the mound of frozen orange on the tiny wood stick. Beverly glanced up and her eyes easily landed on the empty Popsicle box under the coffee table. 

“Why am I not surprised?” She whispered, shaking her head. She went to push herself up from the chair only to have Richie wave desperately at her to hold it. She glanced back at Mike, hanging in the freezer and grimaced. 

It only took one more minute before Mike slipped and fell fully into the cold cold freezer. Richie burst into laughter and Bill giggled at his side. “Burn!” Richie cackled. 

“F-Freezer burn…” Bill bumped his arm against Richie, who’s laughter increased.

“You ok, buddy?” Beverly finally got up and walked over, pulling on Mike’s belt to help him as he climbed out. Mike shook the little bits of ice that clung to his clothes and grinned. 

“Yeah, there was a red one lodged behind the frozen peas.” Mike happily shook his prize and opened it, licking down the Popsicle’s side. 

Beverly shook her head. “You guys are idiots.” 

She strolled over to stand behind Stan’s chair and laid her hands on his shoulders, gripping him gently as she leaned over. “So, how’s that beer coming?” She smiled. 

Stan looked at his friends, looking eager as they stared at him. He sprung up. “Alright, alright. I’ll be the hero today.” He smirked and shook his head as they all cheered and whistled behind him. 

 

Richie, Bill, Mike and Beverly stared up at the stairs for a few seconds. “He’s gonna get caught.” Bill whispered with regret. 

“For sure.” They all agreed and went back to eating their Popsicle’s. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stan hopped up the stairs and into the kitchen. 

“Stanley, I’m glad you’re up here. You can meet your aunt Doris-” Andrea Uris grinned at her nervous son and sighed. “Ok,ok you don’t have to, just bring these out for your mom, ok?” She laughed and thrust two beers into her sons hands. 

“Alright!” Stan burst only to have his mother glance wearily at him. “Alright, I will bring these out for you…” He nervously added but she still looked confused. -”Mommy.” His mouth clicked as he added a smile and she finally smiled back, patting his shoulders and dismissing him into the living room. 

Stan’s parents did not drink. But they offered it to their guests when they had parties, so this truly was a once in a lifetime chance. 

He planned to just circle back to the basement door, happy enough with the two he’d managed to get, but as he entered he knew that would be harder than he thought. 

The room was filled with his family and his parents friends. He grimaced as his dad approached him, a look of interest on his face. “Stan, where are you going with those?” 

Stan looked down at the beer. “Oh-oh these? Mom told me to bring them out for everyone…” He laughed nervously. His father paused before nodding. 

“Alright..” He leaned down and picked up two more. “Here, put these in the fridge on your way to the basement. They’re warm.” He shoved them into Stan’s waiting hands, who nearly fainted. 

“Sure, Dad.” He squeaked and darted back into the kitchen, passed his distracted mother and down the creaky stairs. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“G-Get off!” 

Bill shrieked as he wrestled Richie who’d just pulled his finger from his mouth and was ready to stick it into Bill’s ear. Only, when they heard someone coming down the stairs, they paused. 

Bill took the chance to kick Richie off, knocking him over the back of the couch and onto the floor. 

“Ow!” He yelped. 

Stan proudly showed off his finds, four cans. And his friends whistled and cheered again. 

“How do we decide who doesn’t get one?” Richie popped up from the floor. The four of them hummed in mock thought. 

Stan handed them each a can and harbored one for himself, leaving Richie empty handed. 

“Hey! Come on, someone at least play me for it!” Richie pouted and took a quarter from his pocket. Beverly grinned, cracking hers open and setting it on the table.

“Ok, Rich.” She swiped the quarter from him. “Heads, I win. Tails, you lose. Ok?” She smirked and it went right over Richie’s head. 

“Yeah ok!” He gestured for her to get it over with. She flipped the quarter and slapped it on the back of her hand. 

“Tails!” 

“Dammit!” Richie shouted and flopped onto the couch with crossed arms. Beverly chuckled and sipped her drink. 

Mike ended up letting Richie having a few sips of his. 

The five of them jumped when the basement door opened and in popped an excited looking Eddie and Ben following in after him. “I have the best news!” Eddie grinned. 

“You had your growth spurt!” Richie burst and Eddie rolled his eyes. 

“I’m getting a car! My mom is thinking of giving me….the Vista Cruiser.” Eddie paused for dramatic effect and everyone cheered. 

“You’re getting a car? Have I told you how incredibly attractive you are, Eddie?” Richie smirked, hoping to bum rides off of him. 

“You told me he was cute.” Ben interrupted, giddy. 

“No I didn’t.” Richie snapped with a quiet mumble. 

“I remember cause you told me not to say anything in front of Eddie.” Ben added, maybe with ulterior motives. He was a sucker for crushes. 

“Can w-w-we focus on what’s important here, people?” Bill interrupted, always quick to save his friends from embarrassment. “Stan stole something!”

“To Stan!” four cans clinked together as Ben and Eddie joined in this cheer. 

“You know what’s sad?” Stan asked, sipping his beer. “This is probably the proudest day of my life.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eddie’s hands curled around the steering wheel, a thrill rushing up his spine as he grinned. It was finally his. The Vista Cruiser. Which had been rusting in his mothers driveway for a long long time. And sure, he was given it to make sure he could get to a hospital or pharmacy all on his own, in his mothers words, but it was still something. 

He could feel the burning rubber as he closed his eyes and-

HONK!

“Shit!” Eddie jumped, hitting his head on the cars roof. Richie stood at his open window, smirking. 

“You know, I hear it’s more fun when you actually leave the driveway…” He gestured to the open air in front of the car that was his driveway. Eddie rolled his eyes, rubbing the back of his head as he stepped outside. 

His friends crowded his driveway with their laughter filling the air. 

Patricia, Stan’s girlfriend, was under his arm with a small grin pulling at her lips. “I think it’s groovy, Eddie.” She chipped in which Eddie appreciated. 

“Thanks, I’m hoping to fix up some of the problems and then….” He paused, looking back at the glorious vehicle that he was going to ride into freedom from his mother. “Maybe get past the curb if I’m lucky.” He gestured, flatly. Amused at his own turmoil. 

Beverly chuckled and crossed her arms. “I’d love to stay and stand around in Eddie’s driveway but I have a paper to write.” She shook her head and turned off, walking in the direction of her home. 

“And we have papers to roll…” Richie whispered in Stan’s ear, who shook his head. 

“No one’s sticking around to stand here. I have to do my own homework.” Eddie tried to shoo them away. 

“W-who does their homework on a S-S-Saturday?” Bill whined. 

“People with no lives?” Pattie offered and Richie gasped. 

“Burn!” He pushed Eddie’s shoulder. “Good one, Pattie!…Was not expecting that.” 

Patricia looked regretful. “I’m sorry, Eddie. I just let it out.” She chuckled as Stan laughed, shaking her shoulder. 

Eddie rolled his eyes at his friends and retreated into his house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{Mike, Bill, Stan, & Richie sat in a circle around the coffee table. The basement is filled with smoke.} 

Normally, Stan would be more than freaked about his parents finding them but they almost never came down here. So he was pretty much safe. 

“You think Eddie’s gonna be willing to let us bum rides off of him?” Mike asked, voice raspy. 

“He’s gotta be, man. That’s would friends do.” Richie shrugged. “He’s gonna need some serious gas money though.” He coughed. 

“This gas shortage bites.” Stan whined. 

“There is no gas shortage, man. It’s all fake. The oil companies control everything. Like, there’s this guy who invented this car that runs on water, man. It’s got a fiberglass air-cooled engine, and it runs on water.” Mike gestured with his hands. 

Richie looked blankly at his friend. “You’re such a frickin’ hippie man.” He chuckled and leaned over to play with the string of beads around Mike’s neck. 

Mike attempted to swat his hands away but just started to laugh. 

“Hey!” Stan whisper shouted and they turn to look at him. He pointed his finger at them like he might tell them to stop but his eyes fell from them to his own hand. “Have my hands always been small?” He frowned, now opening and closing both hands. 

“I-I-If it runs o-on water, isn’t it just a boat?” Bill asked, confused.

“No, you put the water in the gas tank…” Mike explained and let another chuckle come out. 

“Stanley!” came the voice of Stan’s mother, they all froze. 

“Yeah?!” Stan called back. 

“Come upstairs for a minute!” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stan blinked. The walls were sort of waving in the background of his parents. “Stan?” 

He shook his head. “Yeah?” 

“It’s time for your friends to go. We’re gonna have dinner in about…” She glanced up at the clock that really looked like it was melting. “an hour, ok?” She grinned and Stan nodded.

“Alright.” 

He felt relief pass through him as he left the kitchen and trailed down the stairs again. 

 

Bill, Richie and Mike were just where he’d left them. 

“You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here.” Stan shouted as he jumped down the last step. 

“I’m walking to the Hub to meet Ben, you guys wanna come?” Bill asked. Richie quickly stood. 

“Yeah. I’m starved.” He said, tipping a potato chip bag into his mouth as if for emphasis. Mike stood up as well. 

“Might as well. See ya Stanley.” Mike waved and the three of them went out the backdoor. 

Stan happily plopped back onto the couch to read the comic Richie had accidentally left behind.


	2. Life In The Fast Lane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Losers find themselves on the water-tower with a can of paint and no paint brushes. “Thanks a lot, Mike”

{Derry, Maine. May 17th, 1976. 11:47 P.M. }

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Ben asked, climbing up the ladder behind Richie. 

“Ben, if I was sure this was a good idea, I wouldn’t be doing it. That’s the fun of it all!” Richie hopped up to the platform and looked down at the town with a triumphant grin. 

Ben rested against the railing along the water-tower and looked down the ladder, waiting for their friends. 

And quickly after them, came Mike, Beverly, Stan, Bill & Eddie. The seven of them stood along the water-tower silently taking it in for a minute or so. 

“Ok, did you bring the paint, Mike?” Richie rubbed his hands together and Mike rolled his eyes. 

“No, Rich. I thought we’d come up here for nothing.” He shook his head and set the can of green paint on the edge of the railing, holding it in place as he leaned against it. 

“Brushes?” Richie asked. 

Mike frowned. “Dammit.” 

The six of them sighed in harmony as Mike nervously chuckled. “Yeah, forgot those. Somebody go back to the basement, I think I left them on the table.” He tried to fix it. 

“You forgot them, you get them.” Richie crossed his arms. 

“Yeah but, I did bring paint” Mike tapped the can and pointed aimlessly at the others “You guys brought nothing.” 

Eddie rolled his eyes. “I’ll go, I don’t wanna be here anyway.” He turned to look over the edge and scowled. Richie moved to his side and put his arm around the smaller boys shoulders. 

“Ahh, Eds comes to the rescue-”

“Get off!” Eddie shrugged his arm off and went to the ladder once again and started to climb down while the six others waved lamely down at him. 

“He’s a good kid.” Beverly put her hand over her chest. “Too good for you.” She jabbed her finger into Richie’s arm with a laugh before sitting down, legs hoovering back and forth over the side of the platform. 

Richie hunched forward, gripping the railing and looked down at her. “Yeah, well. I have a plan.” 

“A p-plan? That scares me.” Bill laughed from behind him. “Remember your plan in the s-s-sixth grade to woo Susan Graham?” 

Richie scoffed. “Ok, so you get glue in one girls hair and no one can let that go?” 

“How? I have to know how!” Beverly snapped her head up and laughed, her forehead a little moist from the heat. Richie rolled his eyes. 

“It doesn’t matter. I only wanted her for her crayons anyway.” He pointed at Bill with mock venom in his eyes. Bill raised his hands and leaned back on the water-tower. 

Stan looked up at the future canvas and put his hands on his hips. “Who’s actually painting this?” 

Richie immediately raised his hand. “Me! It was my idea!” 

Stan gave him a flat look. “That doesn’t help your case, Rich.” he shrugged. “Besides, you can’t paint.”

“So? How hard can it be to paint a pot leaf anyway?” He scoffed again. 

Stan looked Richie up and down, remembering how many cruddy pieces of macaroni art Richie had proudly gave him when they were kids. He smiled at the memory. “Pretty hard for you.” 

Richie went to go punch his shoulder but Beverly grabbed his pant leg, carefully. “I’d rather you idiots remain alive and well idiots. So please no roughhousing up here.” She emphasized her point by looking over the side.

“Relax Beverly. No ones gonna fall.” Richie smiled. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Eddie returned rather quickly with the brushes, he was a speedy little shit as Bill once phrased it. He and Beverly sat on the side as Richie stood on the railing, painting smears of green paint on the water-towers surface. 

Mike held onto the man’s legs just in case. 

“I don’t know….fix that spot- No that! Richie, that!” Bill pointed helplessly as Richie had no idea what he was talking about. 

“This is hopeless.” Ben frowned, looking up at the design. 

“I think this is the perfect way to stick it to the man and show this corrupt city that weed is not the enemy!” Mike smiled. 

“No….just the idiot teenagers who vandalize the water-tower, right?” Stan tilted his head, crossing his arms and Mike chuckled, momentarily loosening his grip on Richie’s ankles. 

“This l-l-looks like shit.” Bill frowned and Richie snapped his head down at him. 

“It looks like it’s giving the finger.” Ben added with a laugh. 

“I’m doing my best here!” He went to gesture with his brush at his work, not realizing just how hard he’d whipped his arm back. 

Hard enough to take Richie’s whole body with it, and though he desperately tried to gain balance, he plummeted off the tower. 

His six friends all shot to look over the railing. 

“Richie!?” Stan shouted. 

“Yeah?” Came a raspy voice from the ground. They all felt immediate relief. 

“How does it look from down there?” Beverly tried to lighten the mood, knowing Richie would appreciate it. 

“Like it’s giving me the finger.” He responded. 

“Let’s g-g-go.” Bill sped over to the ladder and so the six of them climbed down. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Richie held on to his misshapen arm and sucked on the red lollipop Stan had got him. “See, all the perks of a hospital visit and I didn’t even have to go.” He pulled it from his mouth and grinned, with slightly red teeth as he sat on the couch in Stan’s basement. 

Eddie frowned. “What do you mean ‘all the perks’ ?!” Eddie glared as he did the air-quotes. “You mean ,except for the actual treatment and cast?!” He growled. 

“Ok so I didn’t get all the perks…but I got the lollipop.” He chuckled like it was no big deal, which only pissed Eddie off further. 

“Stan got that from the 24 hour pharmacy. Not even the good one! The crappy one where all the stoners loiter!” Eddie rolled his eyes. 

“I made friends!” Richie laughed and Eddie threw his hands up, not wanting to continue the conversation, going back to sit on the freezer. 

“I’m with Eddie…” Ben went to slap Bill’s hand from poking at Richie’s arm. 

“Yeah, we should probably take you to the hospital, man.” Stan narrowed his eyes and Richie seemingly began to pout. 

“Hey! I thought you were on my side!” 

“Yeah, that was before your arm looked purple…..that’s not just the lighting is it?” Stan turned to Eddie who shook his head. 

“Damn, my parents are gonna be pissed.” Richie cradled his arm but reluctantly. 

“Did you think they would be less pissed if you came home with a broken arm and no cast?” Eddie scowled. 

Richie shrugged. “I was hoping they wouldn’t notice.” 

Eddie rolled his eyes again as the seven of them filtered out of the basement. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Yeah- Uh-huh, Yes, Dad I fell right out of the tree,….” Richie nodded with the phone pressed against his ear as he sat on the hospital bed, Mike was currently napping on the other side. 

“Yeah…love you too.” Richie mumbled quietly and hung up, setting the phone back on the table. “He bought it.” He grinned. 

“Alright, l-l-let’s get you home, champ.” Bill came round and patted Richie’s back with a grin. 

Richie hopped off the hospital bed and Ben shook Mike awake. 

“You were pretty worried about me, huh Eds?” Richie smirked and Eddie looked unimpressed.

“Yeah, I’d be worried if any of my idiot friends fell off the water-tower.” He chuckled as they fell behind everyone. “And I’m afraid it’s really likely they’ll all fall off at some point.” 

Eddie burst into giggles as they all seconded that with a chorus of ‘probably’s and ‘I can see that’s. 

Richie frowned and kept walking. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What is it?” Richie asked, narrowing his eyes as Bill drew on his cast. 

“Hold it a sec, will ya? I’m a-almost done.” He responded, tongue sticking out of his mouth. 

Stan hoovered over his shoulder, a look of distaste on his face. 

“Ok! Done.” Bill capped his marker and Richie looked confused as he stared down at it. 

“I don’t get it?” 

“You’re looking at it upside down, here.” Bill turned Richie’s head to change the angle he was looking at the cast. 

“Oh-OH. My, my, my…Bill you scandalous boy.” Richie chuckled, staring at it with a smirk. 

“I like the duck I drew better.” Stan smiled. 

“You would, you big ol’ dork.” Eddie giggled. 

“Hey! It says, ‘Sorry you quacked your arm’….get it? Like cracked? You guys just don’t get comedy!” Stan crossed his arms and flopped back on the couch. 

Pattie giggled from his side. “I liked it.” 

“You’re his girlfriend, you have to say that.” Richie pointed out and Pattie rolled her eyes. 

Pattie leaned on her curled fist, elbow on Stan’s shoulder with a small smirk. “You guys are idiots for going up there.” 

“That’s not all we’re idiots for!” Richie sounded offended and amused. Pattie chuckled. 

“This is what I deal with on the daily.” Beverly rolled her eyes. 

“Hey, you went up there too, didn’t you?” Bill smiled and She shrugged. 

“Yeah, well.” She laughed. 

Ben grinned from his seat on the chair opposite to her. Richie bumped his leg from his new seat on the floor. “Ahhh I feel ya, Ben.” he said, in a knowing whisper tone. 

Ben slumped in his chair. “This is fine. I’m ok. She’s happy, we’re friends.” He shrugged and Richie wished he could deal with feelings as well as Ben so much in that moment. 

“I just wish-” Richie went to talk more about his crush on Eddie but Ben was quick to stop him. 

“I know, Rich. You wish. And it’s ok to do that but….being friends is good, better than good. So focus on that.” Ben gave him a sad smile and shook his shoulder. Richie sighed before nodding. He understood. 

Both boys turned their attention to the six people laughing and talking around them. Richie, never one for missing the joke, quickly tried to re-join the conversation while Ben played catch-up. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{Mike, Bill, Stan, & Richie sat in a circle around the coffee table. The basement is filled with smoke.} 

“How’s the arm, man?” Mike asked in a husky voice. 

Richie chuckled. “Better. I like having a cast, man. It’s like having a robot arm.” 

Bill paused, not even remotely sure how to comment on that. 

“I watched that robot movie the other day! What is it called….?” Stan frowned, looking off in thought. 

“I feel bad, I didn’t hold on to your legs tight enough.” Mike frowned and Richie reached over to tap his shoulder. 

“It’s ok, it was really fun.” He said, genuinely as he laughed. 

“OH! ‘Jaws’! That’s it.” Stan snapped, a triumphant grin on his face. 

“Stan, there’s no robots in that movie?” Bill narrowed his eyes. 

“No? Oh…..damn, what was it?” Stan slumped in his seat. 

 

The four of them continued to mess around, though Richie’s mind was bouncing with thoughts of Eddie. 

——————————————–


	3. Tequila Sunrise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marty’s having a party…..and who is Marty anyway???
> 
> Another one shot in the ‘Kids Are Alright’ Series

{Derry, Maine. May 20th, 1976. 2:47 P.M. } 

Richie had felt the day slipping past him since sixth period Algebra. He felt drained and tired, mind lingering with left over math formulas he should remember. The sun was hanging loosely over in the sky, threatening to make it’s touchdown early. His stomach stirred with a mixture of that minor case of homesickness that school gave him. 

Classmates pushed out from the gates while he played with the loose thread of his sweater, threading it around the top of the chain link fence. It had been a gift from Stan, a dorky looking hand-me-down sweater from Mr. Uris actually. But Stan’s father liked Richie well enough. 

He was actually starting to relax, kicking his shoe on the school pavement. That was until there was an abrupt rock on the fence and he jumped. 

Eddie smirked, his velvet shoes pushed through the holes of the fence so he’d have a taller stature. “How’s your arm?” He asked, sincerely even behind all his giggling. 

Richie knocked his cast with an amused expression. “Still broken.” He then grinned. “Bev tell you about Marty’s party?” 

Eddie hopped off the fence and shrugged. “Who’s Marty? And we’re really going to that?”

“Well, you do know the seven of us aren’t actually attached at the hip, right?-” Richie playfully pushed Eddie with his good arm “-And don’t all have to go places together….so you don’t have to go….or we don’t have to go?” Richie gestured between them and Eddie’s eyebrow raised. 

“Why would we not go if the others are going?” Eddie asked, oblivious as always to Richie’s intentions. 

Richie shrugged, giving up. “It was just a suggestion.” 

The two of them walked down the sidewalk a little ways before coming into the view of the Vista Cruiser. Eddie grinned, at the car but also at the crowd of Losers around it. Beverly tinkered with the rear-view mirror as Bill looked at his reflection. 

Eddie pulled his keys from his pocket and swirled them on his finger. “Did I actually say you guys could bum rides off of me?” 

“No but you’ll drive us anyway because you loooovee us.” Ben teased, leaning on the car. The others all hooted in agreement. 

Eddie rolled his eyes and went to the drivers side to unlock the car. Bev and Richie reached for the passengers side handle at the same time. “Shotgun!” Richie smirked but Beverly only rolled her eyes. 

“Please.” She pursed her lips. “I called Shotgun way before you got here….save yourself another broken arm, babe?” She bumped her hip and playfully knocked Richie over to the backseat door. 

He pouted but quickly laughed as he climbed inside. 

Beverly buckled up, playing with the strap to make sure it was on and turned to Eddie. “We’re going to my place to get ready for the party….well for you guys to watch me get ready, really. You idiots don’t have to change or anything.” She smiled. 

Eddie frowned, hands tightening on the wheel as he leaned back. Bill tried to get a glimpse of his face in the mirror but settled on shoving himself up and gripping the back of his seat. “Y-You can come, right?” 

Eddie tilted his chin up. “Yeah, I’m sure my mom won’t mind me going to a stoners party on a school night.” He huffed. 

“So you’re not going?” Mike asked from the backseat. 

“Oh-no, I’m going.” Eddie nodded, tapping his nails on the wheel. “You guys just gotta make sure my mom doesn’t dress me in that ridiculous suit for my funeral, ok?” 

“You got it, buddy.” Beverly grinned. 

“That is, if she for some reason decides to invite you guys.” Eddie shrugged again and the car erupted in laughter. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beverly pulled her sock up and scooted her chair up to her make-shift vanity, opening her drawers to collect what she needed. Richie and Bill were flopped on her bed, Mike sat at the end. Ben, Eddie & Stan sat on nearby chairs. 

“Y’know, I’m missing Zeppelin on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert for this party.” Beverly frowned, patting her finger in her blue eye-shadow to test the pigment. 

“Isn’t that a re-run?” Mike asked and Bev’s eyes moved to look at him in the mirror. 

“Yeah but it’s still way better than this guy….Marty’s party.” She paused to recall his name.

Richie smirked, sitting up. “I dunno, this could be the party of a lifetime, Bev. Remember last year? Mike threw up on his carpet?-” He slapped Mike’s arm and everyone laughed. 

“I thought that was at Steve’s party?” She asked and Richie paused.

“No, it was Marty’s!” 

“How do we know Marty again?” She asked but Richie ignored her.

“Marty’s Party….Marty’s Party” Richie began to chant, a smirk on his face and soon they all joined. 

“Marty’s Party, Marty’s Party, Marty’s Party-” 

The group started to sway in their seats with wide grins, breaking for laughter. “Ok, ok. I gotta go walk to Patty’s. I’ll see you losers at the party.” Stan stood and waved, they all waved back until he left. 

“Remember Eds, you’re our ride so you can’t drink.” Richie reminded him and Eddie nodded.

“Yeah, but please don’t get too drunk you guys.” 

“No problem!” They agreed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{Mike, Bill, Beverly, & Richie sat in a circle around the table in Marty’s living room. The room is filled with smoke.} 

“I’m so baked.” Richie chuckled, wiping sweat from his forehead. “I’m in like….the perfect state of mind right now.” He gestured wildly with his hands. 

Beverly burst into a fit of giggles, holding her stomach before sitting up straight again. “Shit, I forgot why I was laughing.” She frowned.

“Anybody seen B-B-Ben?” Bill asked, absentmindedly looking around. 

“Ummmm-” Mike began but was quickly cut off when a short blonde guy pulled up a chair and sat next to him. “Who are you?” 

“Marty…..remember? And your friend had 3 beers and fell coming up the stairs…he’s in the bathroom getting a Rudolph band-aid.” He said, basking in the smoke. 

“Ben.” They all nodded in agreement before Bill spoke up, standing. “I’ll get him.” he left. 

“You aren’t gonna throw up on my carpet this year, right?” The blonde, Marty apparently, asked as he turned to Mike who grinned. 

“Nah. Besides, I gave you some money to get it cleaned.” Mike patted his shoulder. 

“No you didn’t?” Marty frowned. 

“What? I gave the money to Richie to give to you-” Mike trailed off and looked to Richie. 

“Oh! I used that to buy bottle rockets.” Richie grinned. 

Mike frowned, leaning over to whisper in Marty’s ear, who then whispered in Beverly’s who then popped Richie’s good arm.

“Ow! Damn! We all played with them!” Richie scowled, rubbing his arm as they all laughed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’ve got four high friends, one drunk friend and a perfectly sober couple to drive home?” Eddie asked Bill who grinned and nodded. 

“Yup.” 

The eight of them stood around the Vista Cruiser and waited for Eddie to unlock the doors. Stan and Patty watched with amusement as Richie and Mike playfully shoved each other for Shotgun this time. 

Ben frowned, leaning on the car looking a little sick. Beverly came up behind him and rubbed his back. “Doin’ ok, Ben?”

“Yeah I think I’m better….I don’t feel as-” Ben stopped mid-sentence and rushed over to the side of Marty’s driveway to vomit. Beverly lowered her hand and gave him a sympathetic grin. 

Eddie scowled. “Please don’t do that in my car.” He looked desperate and Ben waved him off. 

“I’d never….I’ll just swallow it?” Ben suggested with a genuine grin but then immediately turned disgusted. 

“You know what? I’ll walk Ben home. He can use the fresh air and it’s not too far…C’mon babe.” Beverly waved him over and he looked positively delighted. 

As they passed the others and waved, Eddie mouthed a thank you to her, glad to have less of a vomit threat in his car. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

For a while, Ben and Bev remained mostly silent as they started the short walk to Ben’s home. Bev’s wasn’t too far either. 

Beverly was never one for silence though. “So, I suppose you got carried away tonight, huh?” She asked softly. Ben chuckled. 

“Yeah, I’m not usually a big drinker…usually can’t even drink one.” He laughed again. “But I dunno, tonight turned out better than I thought anyway…” He let his eyes admire Beverly in the moonlight and shivered. 

“Yeah well, I saw a guy sing on Marty’s piano….I saw him fall of the piano, Micky Larson fell over and broke a vase, you threw up, I punched Richie….so yeah, all in all this was a fun night.” Beverly chuckled, hand falling out of the listing position. 

Ben loved that sound. 

“And this is a nice way to end tonight, I think.” She punched his arm lightly as they got to Ben’s walkway. He grinned, feeling that shiver again. 

“If I hurry, I bet I can catch more rock concert re-runs…” She looked off in the distance. “Maybe Linda Ronstadt if I’m lucky…” She crossed her fingers for a few seconds before studying Ben’s face. 

They paused for a few seconds both wondering slightly different but similar things. And Beverly felt tempted to do something…only Ben started to look green again and….

He vomited….on her shoes. 

“Shit!” She hopped back. “Awww Ben, it’s fine….” She hunched over a bit and rubbed his back. “I needed an excuse to buy new shoes anyway.” She chuckled as Ben straightened and looked positively embarrassed. 

“Really, it’s fine.” She chuckled, trying not to look down at the mess or she might too empty her stomach. “Go inside, drink some water and you’ll be ok. This never happened, right?” She pointed down and laughed, hoping he’d be fine. 

“Yeah, never happened, don’t tell Richie.” He laughed and she finally felt relief. 

“Never.” 

and with that…Ben left. Beverly didn’t leave until the door shut. And then she started on her way home. Feeling deflated and sympathetic. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stan and Eddie sat in his Stan’s basement, each nursing a can of pop and watching ‘Gilligan’s Island’ while Bill laid on the floor and Mike played with the records near the player. 

“I had fun tonight.” Eddie nodded and Stan did too, holding up his can. Eddie clinked them and they both took a long sip as the laugh track from the TV poured over them. 

The room went silent again as they continued to watch and drink comfortably. 

“Wanna prank call Richie?” Stan asked. 

“Yes please.” Eddie replied quickly and both of them hopped off the couch & over Bill as they grabbed for the phone on the side table. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	4. The Disco Strangler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disco sucks…..right?
> 
> Another one shot in the ‘Kids Are Alright’ Series

{Derry, Maine. June 20th, 1976. 2:47 P.M. } 

“I feel like we need to do something to celebrate Summer.” Stan grinned, dumping his years worth of work from Junior year into the trash bin just outside the school gates. 

“Sooo…’Gilligan’s Island’ re-run marathon at your place?” Mike asked, picking out the pencils and pens from his pile before pushing it over into the bin. 

“I don’t know…It is a special occasion….” Stan nodded, snapping his fingers with a smirk. “Maybe ‘The Brady Bunch’.”

Beverly sighed as she flipped through her yearbook, balanced atop of the trash. “Do we need to get out more?” She asked, turning to Bill. 

“God, yes.” He nodded, tossing in his papers in one by one as if they personally spited him. 

“Oh, we could go to the Hub?” Richie leaned over the trash and Mike almost felt tempted to push him in but resisted with a little laugh. 

“Nah, we go there all the time.” She shook her head. “What do you think Ben?” She turned to her right and Ben shrugged though he looked like he had an idea. “Oh c’mon, I can tell you have something.” She poked his arm. 

“Well, there is this Disco that opened a town over?” He tossed it out and immediately winced, waiting for the reaction. 

“Come on, are you c-c-crazy? I mean, a disco? No way.” Bill frowned as Beverly pursed her lips. 

“Yeah, Disco sucks.” Richie shook his head and looked to Beverly for help, knowing she sided with him on this. 

“I dunno. It could be fun? It’s better than the Hub again.” She shrugged and Richie looked offended. 

“-What could be fun?” Eddie asked as he walked from the gates, setting his stuff on the trash with the rest of them. Richie opened his mouth to explain but Beverly cut him off. 

“A Disco. It opened a town over. You in?” She asked. 

Eddie looked at Richie’s offended face and grinned. “Sure, pisses Richie off and it’s fun.” He flicked the Chemistry notes he’d copied from Richie into the trash. 

“I like Disco.” Stan shrugged and tossed his neat folder in. 

“How are you my best friend?” Richie scoffed and shook his head and Stan smirked at him. 

“I ask myself that same question everyday, Richie.” Stan nodded and Richie punched his arm, happy to have that cast off finally. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beverly had invited Pattie over to her house before they left, to help her get ready. The girl had seemed rather nervous. 

Beverly tied a little ascot tie around her neck and pulled at her top, making sure she looked ok. And she looked over her shoulder at Pattie, smoothing her dress over with her hands. “You look real good, groovy even.” Beverly smiled and with a light laugh, so did Pattie. 

“There’s nothing to be nervous about, y’know?” Bev gave her a warm tap on the shoulder as she stood. 

“Yeah but…I can’t dance. And Stanley….” She paused to laugh. “Oh, just you wait to see him.” 

Beverly chuckled, now more than excited. “It’s easy, here-” Bev went over to her records and pulled one out, slipping it from its cover and readying it to play. “Don’t tell Richie but I have one disco album…” She grinned and laid the needle down. 

“My baby moves at midnight  
Goes right on till the dawn  
My woman takes me higher  
My woman keeps me warm-”

Pattie burst into fits of giggles. “The Bee Gees?” 

Beverly placed her hands on her hips and mocked offense. Pattie stood up straight again. 

“Oh, I love it.” She giggled and Beverly shook her hands. 

“Ok, so you wanna learn or not?” She gestured and Pattie nodded. 

“You should be dancing, yeah  
You should be dancing, yeah  
You should be dancing, yeah-” 

And that’s how Beverly ended up hosting a Pre-Disco party. Her and Pattie dancing around her room like idiots. Spinning each other around and mixing in a few actual dancing lessons that Bev knew off-hand. Beverly felt refreshed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This is too perfect. I mean, this is the greatest gift….Thank you.” Richie framed Stan with his hands in a mock camera position from afar. 

Stan took it in stride, bowing as Pattie bent down to pull on his patterned Bell-Bottoms with a grin. 

Beverly came to stand next to Ben with a grin, crossing her arms. “Ok, I’m ready to catch Disco Fever but-” She held out her finger “For one night only.” 

Ben chuckled. “If you think you can be cured that fast, that is.” He poked her arm and smirked, turning to get into the Vista Cruiser Eddie had parked in Stan’s driveway. 

But before anyone could get in, Stan’s parents came outside, Andrea had a camera around her neck. “Oh, mom no.” Stan held out his hand but his mother frowned. 

“Just a few. You kids are growing up so fast.” She held out the camera. Richie grinned, looking Stan’s outfit up and down again. 

“Picture time everyone!!!” Richie grinned at Stan’s parents, they grinned back. Mike shrugged and got ready to grin for the photos. Bill joined him. 

Everyone crowded in and Andrea was about to snap the picture before she counted them up with her finger. “One of you is missing….oh, Eddie!” 

Richie got out from under Beverly’s arm and ducked to look in the front seat of the car where Eddie sat. “Thought you could get away that easily, Eds?” He chuckled as he opened the door and Eddie reluctantly followed him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“She was right…” Beverly trailed off, looking towards the dance floor. 

“Who?” Bill asked, pulling out a chair and sitting next to her. 

“Pattie….Look at Stan go….” 

Beverly and Bill slowly and simultaneously tilted their heads, mouths both forming small ‘o’s. 

“Wow they are really good.” Mike grinned. 

“Yeah, if you wanna dance that way.” Richie rolled his eyes, kicking his leg under their table. 

“I would love to dance that way.” Beverly smiled, looking on as Stan and Pattie moved. 

“You w-wanna dance?” Bill asked and Beverly impulsively. 

“Sure.” She grinned and stood and followed after Bill. 

Ben opened and closed his mouth as he tilted his head down at the table. Richie took notice and scooted closer. “Look man, remember what you said…” 

Ben nodded. “Yeah…Bev and I…we’re just good friends.” He smiled with a look of sadness in his eyes. Richie sighed with a sympathetic grin in return. 

‘There was something in the air that night  
The stars were bright, Fernando  
They were shining there for you and me  
For liberty, Fernando-’

Bill and Bev danced with a pretty good rhythm, he spun her and she laughed. Richie tried to distract Ben but he always had a better handle on the unrequited love thing then Richie did anyway. 

Bill spun Beverly once more and looked into her eyes. “Bev, man, I feel like I wanna k-k-kiss you..” He paused as they swayed. “You don’t have to kiss me back.” 

Beverly chuckled lightly. “I’m n-n-not kidding.” Bill said softly. 

Beverly shook her head with a grin. “Shut-up and dance.” She continued to sway and Bill did too, smile still on his face with only a little change. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mike and Ben sat on the hood of Eddie’s car, sipping on pops. “Man, Disco….” 

Ben paused, waiting for Mike to finish. 

“Isn’t half bad.” 

Ben smiled victoriously and they clinked their glasses together. “I feel like something big happened tonight.” Mike gestured wildly. 

“Oh yeah?” Ben asked, a tinge of sadness in his voice. 

Mike nodded. “I don’t know what but….” He gestured with his hands aimlessly and Ben giggled. 

“You and Richie broke into the stash in the car, didn’t you?” 

Mike smirked. “Yes, we did.” 

They clinked their glasses together. “I don’t get what so wrong about that stuff? It sure helps me calm down and we, as the young generation, are onto that and I think the government knows that. And since youth is their enemy-” 

“Mike, Mike.” Ben held up his hand and Mike paused, flashing a grin. “Let’s go home, huh?” 

“Ok.” 

They hopped off the car just as Richie and Eddie exited Stan’s home. “G’night guys.” Mike waved and they returned it. 

 

“So you looked like you had fun tonight?” Richie smiled as Eddie leaned on the pole behind him. 

“Yeah, I did. Did you see Stan dancing?” Eddie chuckled. 

“Yeah, mesmerizing.” Richie waved his hands around, though he was genuine. He placed the back of his hand on his forehead. “Still glad to say, no Disco Fever was caught here…” 

Eddie chuckled and Richie leaned over to do the same to him. 

“Ohh but Eddie my boy, You’ve got it bad…” 

Eddie shoved his hand away but Richie only smiled. 

“Hey, do you recall that night we crossed the Rio Grande?” He asked, nonchalantly. 

“What?” Eddie narrowed his eyes. 

“I can see it in your eyes…” 

“What are you talking about..?” Eddie frowned. 

Richie just continued. “How proud you were to fight for freedom in this land….”

“Don’t don’t Richie…” Eddie waved his hands. 

“-There was something in the air that night  
The stars were bright, Fernando  
They were shining there for you and me  
For liberty, Fernando-”

Eddie chuckled and slapped his hand over Richie’s mouth. Richie chuckled and pushed his hand off, done singing. 

“Sorry, I hate Disco music.” He chuckled.

“Then why’d you come?” Eddie asked. 

“Well….I like you.” Richie chuckled nervously. 

“So…you’re in like with me?” Eddie laughed but Richie didn’t. ‘Oh?’ Eddie blinked. 

They both stood there silently for a minute before…. 

“There was something in the air that night  
The stars were bright, Fernando…” 

Eddie began to sing with a teasing grin. 

“Eddie. I really wanna kiss you right now-” 

“Shut-up and dance.” Eddie paused and started to sway and spin. 

“They were shining there for you and me  
For liberty, Fernando  
Though I never thought that we could lose  
There’s no regret  
If I had to do the same again  
I would, my friend, Fernando-”

Both boys launched into song and dance in Stan’s driveway, completely alone. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	5. I Can’t Tell You Why

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elton John has a boyfriend? 
> 
> Another one shot in the ‘Kids Are Alright’ Series

{Derry, Maine. Beverly’s room, 1976. 4:47 P.M. } 

Beverly’s cuffed jeans rubbed against her ankles as she hopped on her bed and crossed her legs. Her hand fell over to grip the cherry red phone on her nightstand. She brought it into her lap like a child on Christmas morning, her face aglow as the cord wiggled. 

She brought the top up and pressed it to her ear as she dialed, tongue flicking over before she anxiously slid her fingernail between her teeth. “Mrs. Nelson? Is Clarice there?” She made her voice clear and tried to get rid of the nerves as the woman shuffled to give her daughter the phone. 

As she waited, the door to her room creaked open. “Hey Bev, you forgot your chemistry book.” Richie held it out to her, Ben trailed in hesitantly behind him. Beverly faltered a bit and opened her mouth to say something. 

“Bev!” Came a chirpy voice that made Beverly’s heart flutter. So she waved the phone a little to give them a hint. 

The boys nodded and took seats in nearby chairs, though Bev was kind of hopping they’d leave. She scratched behind her ear and trailed her hand through her hair. 

“Hey, Clarice it’s Bev-” She stopped herself as Richie chuckled. “I mean, you know that…” She awkwardly chuckled, waving her hand around. “Anyway…I was just calling because…” 

She trailed off again, eyes wandering over the open yearbook on her bed. In Clarice’s swoopy handwriting it read, ‘Call Me Sometime!!’ She blushed. 

“Yeah, I was hoping you’d call!” Clarice spoke softly but Beverly was near paranoid the boys could hear. “What do you say to dinner tomorrow? At the Hub?”

Beverly couldn’t believe it, she blushed again. “I would love that!” 

Clarice laughed and they made small talk as they came up with the exact plans before Beverly hung up. She set the top lip back down again and stared for a minute before reluctantly turning to face the boys. 

Richie was some how deep into one of her magazines. She scoffed and he held out his finger. “I’m taking a quiz to see if Donny Osmond is a good match for me.” 

Beverly tossed her pillow at him before awkwardly slouching, leg falling over the side of the bed to hang there. “Hey Ben.” She smiled and Ben smiled back. 

“So, who were you blushing about over there?” Richie teased, before glancing at Ben and remembering that he shouldn’t. 

Beverly set the phone back on her nightstand and brushed her hair behind her ears. “Just…Clarice. From Algebra, remember?” She pointed her thumb back at the phone. “We ugh…we have a date tomorrow.” 

She didn’t want to say that with Ben in the room but she knew she had to. But Ben only grinned and maybe that felt worse. 

“Oh that’s groovy.” Richie said a little awkwardly. 

The room was overcome with an intense awkward silence. Beverly rubbed her finger under her nose and sighed. 

“That’s great Bev, You should probably wait a while before you introduce her to us… y’know Richie might driver her away.” Ben joked as if there was nothing bothering him. And he really didn’t look bothered, so for a moment, Bev believed that. 

She laughed. “You’re right.” 

“Well, I’m gonna go to the Hub, I’ll see ya.” He waved and turned out of her room. Richie shuffled up on his chair as Beverly’s head fell back so she could sigh in the direction of her ceiling. 

“Richie, am I doing the right thing?” She asked, voice wobbly. 

“Why do people always vent to me? Curse my trusting handsome face, right?” He tried to joke but Beverly only waited. So he frowned. “Yes, you are.” 

Beverly looked at him, unconvinced. “It’s just…God, I feel…I don’t know, ungrateful I guess? Two guys like me…and here I am going out with someone else like they don’t matter.” She waved her arms, remembering Marty’s Party and Disco night. Richie came over to sit next to her. 

“Bev, you aren’t ungrateful.You don’t owe them anything.” Richie set his hand on her arm, though discussing this hurt him in many ways. Knowing how Ben felt. And reminding him of how he felt for Eddie. 

Beverly rubbed the wet patch on her cheek. “Bill and Ben are your friends, they understand that.” He continued. “They got hung up on you, you didn’t hang them up.” 

“Yeah but….Surely I had something to do with it. I made them feel that way so shouldn’t I-?” Bev shrugged, not knowing how to continue. “I just feel responsible is all.” 

“My dad says Love is a responsibility.” Richie looked at her. “And I think it’s your responsibility to do what’s good for yourself.” 

Beverly smiled. “Thanks….Man, I need to calm down, huh?” She chuckled, rubbing her sleeve down her cheeks again. 

“I know just the thing for you right now.” Richie smirked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{Mike, Beverly, & Richie sat in a circle on Beverly’s bedroom floor. The room is filled with smoke.} 

“Man! This always works.” Beverly smiled. 

“It does! Thanks for coming Mike.” Richie grinned, blowing smoke towards the ceiling. 

“Anytime!” Mike grinned wildly as Richie stared at Beverly. 

“What is it?” She chuckled. 

“Sometimes, I wish I was a lesbian.” Richie chuckled and Beverly rolled her eyes, not entirely sure what Richie meant….he probably wasn’t sure either. 

“I’m bisexual, Richie.” Bev corrected the dazed off boy. 

“I feel like we have a lot of things to say when we do this…I wish we could remember them later.” Mike frowned and Beverly nodded. 

“Yeah, we talk about some heavy stuff….Hey!-” Richie suddenly burst, causing Bev & Mike to jump. “If The Beatles and The Rolling Stones got into a fist fight, who’d win?” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stan sucked on his straw, trying to get the rest of his pop but mostly just got melted ice water as Eddie tapped out some song beat on the table anxiously. Stan raised his brow and turned to his little friend. 

“Do you know ‘Free Bird’?” Stan asked and Eddie furrowed his brows, still tapping. So Stan rolled his eyes and rested his hand over Eddie’s so he’d stop.

“Oh, sorry.” Eddie chuckled, taking his hand away. Stan flashed him a cheeky grin. 

“What’s got you all twitchy?” He asked, bumping their elbows together. 

“Nothing…” Eddie shrugged, looking off at the counter as he shrugged. Stan rolled his eyes, leaning back on his chair. 

“Ok, well if nothing’s bothering you, I’ll tell you about my day” Stan smirked and took a breath. 

“So, I should really start with the night before. I went into my routine, right? I made sure I had a bottle of water by my bed, on a coaster mind you, then made sure my pillows were-” 

“Wait, wait, shut-up.” Eddie held up his hand and Stan clamped his mouth shut with a full on smirk. “Look, it’s just….Richie likes me?” 

He phrased it as a question and Stan wasn’t sure if it was rhetorical or not. He waited and got nothing so he decided to speak. “Yes, he does.” 

Eddie blinked and sat back on his chair in thought. “Shit.” 

Stan pulled back a little. “Well, that doesn’t sound good.” 

Eddie frowned. 

“Does he have a shot with you?” Stan asked, eyebrow raised as he sipped on his left over ice water again. 

“No…I mean-ok, I don’t know.” Eddie shrugged. “We’ve just been friends since we were kids…and I was not a fun kid so I guess that says something.” 

“Yeah I remember.” Stan chuckled and Eddie glared. “Hey, at least I liked to play doctor with you.” He poked Eddie’s arm. “So how’d you find out?” 

“Disco night….he told me.” 

“And what did you say?” Stan widened his eyes, wondering what on earth Eddie could have said. Eddie blushed. 

“I told him to shut-up and dance…and then-” Eddie groaned, “Sang ‘Fernando’ “ He hid his face while Stan chuckled. 

“I just…I don’t if I even like guys.” Eddie leaned back and Stan sipped at his straw again. 

“It’s the seventies, Eddie! Embrace who you are! We can be the generation to start the change. And start treating sexuality as an open spectrum!-” Stan smiled, gesturing with his arms. 

“You sound like Mike.” Eddie chuckled. 

“Yeah, well he has the right mind-set.” Stan tapped his temple. “Think about it, have you ever like….looked at a guy?” 

“Yes, plenty of times.” Eddie shrugged and Stan rolled his eyes. 

“Not looked. I mean….Looked?” Stan trailed off and Eddie blinked a few times. 

“Shit.” Eddie widened his eyes comically. Stan smiled. 

“Y’know, I heard Elton John has a boyfriend?” Stan tried to make the realization a little less daunting on Eddie, who immediately looked side-tracked. 

“No? Really!?” He leaned his arms on the table as Stan nodded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beverly tucked her hair behind her ears, tilted her head and un-tucked it again. She sighed, rolling her shoulders back. 

Her high had worn off a while ago and she was back to being alone in her room as her record player played a static rendition of ‘Ruby Tuesday’. 

The sun was setting on the day and it made her nervous, knowing what was coming tomorrow. But also excited. 

A real date….with a girl. 

She thought about Bill & Ben. 

‘Don’t question why she needs to be so free  
She’ll tell you it’s the only way to be  
She just can’t be chained  
To a life where nothings gained  
And nothings lost, at such a cost’ 

She took a long look at her reflection, her hair just barely skimmed her shoulders. Pools of soft orange light reflected in the window and created a tiny oasis in her collarbones. 

She shivered a little before getting ready to settle in for the night. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	6. Heartache Tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Somebody’s gonna hurt someone before the night is through…”

{Derry, Maine. June 28th, 1976. 12:47 P.M. Beverly’s room} 

“Just squint your eyes and focus between your fingers…” 

Beverly did as she was instructed, she focused on the white wall of space between her fingers on her outstretched hand. The world became fuzzy and blurred but outlining her hand was a thin line of color. She blinked, eyes back to normal as she hunched her shoulders to laugh. Her red ponytail falling loosely onto her shoulder. “Purple. My aura is purple.” She grinned.

Stan grinned at her from his seat on her bean bag chair. Richie held out his own hand and shrugged. “Mine’s still red.” He frowned with a look of suspicion. However Beverly grinned, reaching out to shake his thigh.

“What does purple mean?” She asked, eager to hear the answer. Richie shrugged, pushing up his glasses.

“Dunno.” He smiled and Beverly scoffed. 

“You mean to tell me that I did that for nothing?” She rolled her eyes and Stan crossed his legs to bring them up on the bean bag chair. The blob of green melded to his body shape and allowed perfect comfort. He wiggled a little in the new spot and tilted his head. 

There was an unspoken sort of tension in the room they were all separately aware of. Beverly frowned deeply and played with a loose thread on her jeans. “You wanna know about the date I had the other day, huh?” her voice, accusatory, carried loudly throughout the room. “I assume Richie blabbed to you, Stan?” 

The man in question shrunk back and picked at the rubber of his shoes. “Oh I dunno. I knew something was up without him having to tell me, I’m intuitive like that, y’know? I like to think I’m psychic too-” 

“Shut-up, Stanley.” Beverly laughed lightly to let him know not to take offense. But she had to stop his rambling before it went on forever like they all knew it would. “I wanna let you know right off the bat that it sucked. I sucked. And I would not like to discuss it further, ok? I’m gonna go make some popcorn and we’re gonna move on from there.” 

Beverly, uncharacteristically, shut them down completely and rushed out of her own room. When the door lightly tapped the doorway behind her, Richie and Stan shared the same guilty look. They let themselves sit in silence until they could her the girl moving around downstairs. Instead of breaking it with words, Richie came over and sat near Stan’s feet and tapped lightly on his leg like a child. 

“Hmm?” Stan raised his brow though he knew this little routine. He gave the guy a kind smile and shrugged. “I’m sure she isn’t all that mad about you telling me, Rich. Don’t let that bother you.” 

He advised his friend knowing full well Richie could not handle his friends being mad at him very well. Terribly, actually. He sure did hope this wouldn’t be one of the worst. He scooted off the bean bag and sat in front of his best friend with a smile. “Want me to read your palm?” 

“Yes please!” Richie happily held out his hand with a giddy look on his face. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Is everyone having s-s-sex but me?” Bill asked abruptly, cutting the silence that had been going on for the past twenty minutes. He laid in the back of the Vista Cruiser that was parked in front of his house while Eddie shuffled through the radio for a good station. 

The question sent Eddie into fits of laughter for what seemed like five whole minutes. Bill rolled his eyes and sat up to face the back of his head. “Why are you laughing?” 

Eddie wiped at his eyes and turned back to face him, elbow resting on the next seat. “Partly because of how dumb that question is and partly because it’s funnier when you stutter it.” 

Bill lightly chuckled and punched the kid in the arm, who recoiled and rubbed the hurt area. “I’m serious, Eddie.” 

The other boy sighed and decided to take his best friend seriously. “First of all, really think about that question, huh?” 

Bill looked at him blankly in thought before shrugging, deciding it to be a valid question for some reason. 

“Sure, Stan’s got a girlfriend but there’s no way that’s happened for them yet.” Eddie began his long answer that he hadn’t been prepared to have to explain. “Mike and Beverly barely talk to anyone besides us and last I checked neither of them have had sex with any of us.” He paused at his own little joke and chuckled. Bill did not seem even lightly amused with that comment.

"And do you remember who Ben and I are? We haven’t gotten anywhere with anyone which sucks but we’re pretty awkward Bill.” He laughed. 

“What about Richie?” Bill asked. Eddie frowned. 

“What about him?” He sneered and Bill put a pin in that to make sure to bring it up the attitude he’d answered with again. “He’s not had sex yet or he’d be bragging up and down the street. Don’t you know him?” 

Bill realized how silly he’d been to ask but he was still annoyed. 

“S’not that big of a deal anyway.” Eddie spoke as he turned back and pulled his aspirator from the glove-box for safe keeping. “Sex is just sex. It’ll happen when it happens.” He put the car in drive and moved to pull out of the driveway. 

“Spoken like a true v-v-virgin, Eddie.” Bill joked and Eddie even had to laugh at that. Truthfully, none of them cared all that much about ‘doing it’ except maybe Richie. But even that was just some jokes here and there. But insecurity had risen in Bill ever since Disco night when Beverly rejected him. He had briefly wondered if he’d ruined their friendship. He’d also wondered if he just...’didn’t have any game’ in him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{Mike, Bill, Stan, Eddie & Richie sat in Stan’s basement. The room is lacking smoke.} 

“I hate to be a party pooper, though it is what I’m best at, but the smoke really is bad for my asthma.” Eddie paced behind the couch in Stan’s basement with a slight grin on his face. 

“Hey, I could fight you on that, I think I’m a champion at that too.” Stan cocked his head, resting it on the back of his couch as Eddie stood above him. He wagged his finger like a much older gentleman and Eddie giggled. 

“I’d be careful if I were you. Eddie’s real scrappy. Once, we were play f-f-f-fighting over the remote and he nearly kicked me in the eye.” Bill laughed and Eddie rolled his eyes. 

“Please. Don’t exaggerate.” 

Richie perked up and smirked. “Eddie, one time you punched me so hard I fell on the floor and had a bruise for like....ever.” Richie did not look too mad about it. He actually found it rather funny and possibly adorable. 

“It’s not like it came from nowhere. You were sitting on me.” 

Richie blushed slightly at the memory. Boy, had he regretted that move many times when they play-fought. But he always went for it without even thinking about it. He was actually glad Eddie had knocked him off that day. 

Mike hummed and looked through Stan’s record collection for some background tunes. “Violence does seem to be the way with you guys.” He pretended to scold them, although he truly didn’t quite enjoy violence himself. 

Stan allowed Eddie to playfully flick at his forehead and grinned. They were all silent for a few minutes before Mike finally decided on a record. More specifically, ‘Led Zeppelin IV’.

Everyone rolled their shoulders back with the same pleasure as the first song kicked in. A natural reaction, of course. 

They were quiet again, absorbing that special sound. 

“You know what would make this better?” Richie asked. 

“Hmmm?” Mike replied. 

“Weed.” 

Mike slapped his shoulder while Eddie playfully gave him the finger. Richie smirked at him. Things had been awkward for them ever since Disco night. Neither of them willing to bring up what happened ever since. Suddenly Richie found himself wishing Ben were there because at least he’d understand his sudden mood drop. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{Derry, Maine. 4:50 P.M.}

Beverly sat on the curb in front of the local pharmacy, smoking a cigarette and hoping her dull headache would not get any worse. The day was dragging on and she felt a little guilty for blowing Stan and Richie off earlier but she also wished she’d done it sooner. 

“Loitering is a crime, young lady.” A distant voice made her jump but as she turned her head, it was just Ben putting on her on as he nervously approached. 

“Sorry I thought that’d be funny but ummm- I don’t know why I did that, sorry.” Ben tried to mumble through an apology and she had to reluctantly smile at that. 

“It was funny, Ben.” She rolled her lips together and gestured for him to sit next to her. “Listen, I’m glad you’re here actually.” 

The comment itself made Ben want to smile but her tone and expression made him want to crumble right there in front of the store. She bent one of her knees and sat in a way to face him entirely. The golden sun dusted upon her freckled shoulders and warmed her hair. He could tell she was about to speak but he beat her to it. 

“You know about my feelings, huh?” He guessed because he was just too curious and worried to wait. The girl blinked, lashes kissing her face, and licked her lips in thought. 

“I know.” She nodded and Ben felt like he could throw-up in the sewer grate just to their side. They looked at each other for a few painful seconds. 

“So if I was to ask you-...” Ben couldn’t even finish. I’d be pitiful if he even tried so he let it hang in the air. By the way Beverly put her hand to her lips and turned to look away, he knew it was bad. “Yeah...that’s-that’s fine.” Ben scratched the back of his head and tried to shrug it off. 

“Look Ben, I’m not saying no forever.” She turned back with renewed energy that he wondered how she’d managed to pull. “But for now...” 

“It’d be a no?” Ben asked. She nodded and he found himself wondering if it had anything to do with Bill. He would have asked but he was not that insensitive. It wasn’t any of his business. 

“Please... don’t hate me.” Beverly reached out to pat his knee with genuine fear before pulling away like she was burned.

“Hate you?” Ben found the room to laugh. Beverly raised a frightened brow. “Never, Bev. Never in my life could I hate you. You’re one of my best friends.” He nodded and she felt fine again. Happy, even. 

They surrendered the conversation and picked up a new one. Though, both felt a little restrained. How long would that last...?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{Stan’s Basement. 5:00 P.M.} 

Mike, Bill, Richie, Eddie and Stan had gotten side-tracked by a Gilligan’s Island marathon on TV like almost every-time they hung out. As another plan to get off the island failed, Richie took a small chance and put his arm around Eddie but rested it on the back of the couch casually. 

Mike and Bill didn’t notice but Stan put all his attention on the two of them as if they were just as entertaining. He could tell Eddie had obviously noticed by the way he blinked and swallowed. He seemed to allow it before abruptly announcing he wanted a pop and stood to leave. 

Poor Richie looked as if he was punched in the gut as he lowered his hand back into his lap. Stan bit into his cheek and made to follow his short friend. 

He met him at the shockingly white fridge with a look of sympathy. He leaned his chin on the open fridge door and sighed. “Judging by the way you sprang out of there, you two haven’t talked about anything, huh?” 

Eddie jumped. Stan always loved his habit of entering a room mysteriously. It was truly a gift....a really fun gift too. Eddie slammed the fridge and shrugged. 

“We have not said a word about anything.” He paused and leaned back on the kitchen counter. “I just...I don’t want things to be weird.” 

Stan thought about the way Richie had looked like a kicked puppy earlier and shuddered. “I don’t know if you can avoid that, Eddie.” 

“I can try.” Eddie gave him a sarcastic and upset grin before completely brushing him off to head back for the basement. 

Stan shook his head. Life was going to get real complicated real fast.

**Author's Note:**

> So, nothing major happened in this One Shot, mostly cause it’s an introduction really. So as you can see, I used some of the famous that 70′s show lines. 
> 
> This one really came from the first episode but not all of them will be like that. I’ll probably use a lot of inspiration from different episodes and stuff! 
> 
> And why not use Eagles songs for titles???


End file.
